Archive for month: March, 2013

Much as individuals or families have problems that need sorting out occasionally (or often), businesses also occasionally need some help. In the same way that a family might go to a family counsellor or marriage counsellor, a business can use a business counsellor. But what exactly does a counsellor do for a business?

A Counsellor Gets in the Trenches

A counsellor is different from a consultant in that a consultant makes observations, writes a report, and gives advice in that report. A counsellor is more “hands-on”. While a counsellor may give advice, it will be at eye level and during an exchange of the thoughts and observations with the people involved. He may interview, listen, and give feedback as part of the common course in counselling. He may explore what is going on in the different departments of a business and suggest actions based on his observations. He may try to get a sense of what the business is striving to do and help the business explore the different paths toward doing so. If management has lost its vision and enthusiasm, the counsellor will help them restore it.

A Counsellor Bring Experience

A counsellor can be anyone with enough business expertise and experience to be able to help a business thrive. Some have degrees and some have licences as counsellors although that is not necessary for the job. Most have some training in business and good deal of experience. Because of experience, they can efficiently assess and treat the problems that a business has. This can be especially helpful with a new business. The experience of a counsellor can fast track a company past difficult trial and error learning and bring profitability to it more quickly.

A Counsellor Creates Problem-solvers

A counsellor works with a business to solve problems. Some of the common areas in which counsellors work include raising productivity levels, team-building, conflict resolution, morale, retention and other problem areas. His job is not to fix the business. His job is to help the business fully explore their problems, find their own solutions, and create support within the company for overseeing and solving problems in the future. While he may give advice along the way, counselling is more complex that just giving advice. For that one can buy a book or an audio tape. A counsellor helps a business explore its unique problems and helps them find their unique solutions.

A Counsellor Promotes Vision

A counsellor can back a new business by reviewing its business plan and marketing plan. It can help an older business by reviewing these same documents. A new business may have unrealistic or vague goals that keep them from getting a strong foothold in their industry. A counsellor is invaluable for those starting a business. He can help them create a vision and goals that are attainable and can thrive. In older businesses, the vision sometimes fades because of busyness and a company can easily lose its way. The Bible says, “Without a vision the people perish.” That certainly holds true for a business. The counsellor can help a company assess their vision, help them adjust it if necessary, and help return enthusiasm, focus, pride and spirit to a flagging company.

Mentoring is good for business. With a good mentoring programme a business can easily become a more efficient and productive place. As a practice, it goes beyond what traditional training can offer by engaging the employee at a more personal level. It customises the training to build specifically on the mentee’s strengths and improve areas of weakness. All of this translates into an employee who contributes to a healthier profit. Here as some of the ways mentoring does that.

Better than Training Courses

Traditional training is expensive and it’s time-consuming. Not only that, but its one-size-fits-all nature makes it inefficient. It’s not bad for “how-to” subject matter, but running a business is much more nuanced than just “how-to”. A person in your office may be technologically skilful and still not understand the business. Mentoring, however, corrects that. It trains people according to who they are and what they bring to table. It integrates them into the business rather than shows them simply how perform duties. When you have a person fully engaged and understanding the business, it almost necessarily means more productivity which logically leads to more profit.

Teaches the Intangibles

“Corporate culture” has been a popular phrase in recent decades. It speaks to the intangibles that make a business what it is. And even smaller businesses have their cultures. Some of intangibles include values, beliefs, norms, symbols, habits, visions and even a specific language or jargon that is unique to the business. While these intangibles can be picked up in a meeting or a classroom, they are usually taught informally and by example. You can’t train a person into the business’ culture. And yet those who become invested in the culture become more engaged in the company. Loyalty and commitment grows out of embracing a corporate culture. Mentoring within the business is a great way to share these intangibles and encourage the less experienced worker to commit to making the business a success.

Promotes a Common Purpose

Part of what the mentor will communicate through his examples and guidance will be the business’ vision. Once the employee understands what the company is about and feels comfortable exercising his skills and knowledge in the work place, he is more likely to adopt the vision. This is turn will put him “on the same page” and will promote a common purpose. When everybody is working together for the same goal, can success be far behind?

A Team of Experts

A mentor shares his years of experience to help his protégé become more skilled and successful at his work. What mentoring does is multiplies the number of experts in the company. Anybody doing business with the company will quickly see how readily available help is and grasp the professional nature of the enterprise. A solid mentoring programme helps assure the company will have a skilled workforce committed to the business’ success. When a business shows that its foundation is excellence, people will come to it. Mentoring can help build that foundation in a unique and powerful way. Creating a team of experts who knows how to do an effective job is a sure way to see productivity and profits grow.

The singular goal of a business counsellor is to help your business. However the question is a good one. Why would a business seek the help of a counsellor? When is a good time to seek out that help? The best time to find a counsellor is when the company or individuals in the company are stuck. When productivity and enthusiasm are missing and prove difficult to re- ignite, it’s time to pick up the phone. Getting a company or parts of a company “unstuck” is the primary job of a counsellor. A sluggish company affects its profitability, but it also affects employee retention and company morale. Some the areas where a counsellor might help include:

Profitability

For all the reasons a person might have a business, the profitability is at the core somewhere. If we aren’t making a living from our pursuits, we are simply enjoying a hobby not running a business. Profits is the thermometer we use to take the temperature of a company. If there is not enough money coming or running the business absorbs all the profit, the counsellor can help you explore why this is happening. The stress of having a business that is “underwater” can be more than just financially damaging. It can seep into the psyche of the individuals involved in the business and drain them of any motivation or enthusiasm. Business by definition is about making a living and a counsellor can help you find ways to fulfilling that goal.

Strengthen Management

Without solid leadership there can’t be a solid business. A counsellor can help a manager identify his management style. He can help him explore what works and doesn’t work for him and his business. A counsellor can do the same for a management team. He can help them set up some best practices for the company leadership and do some team building exercises if the staff is large enough. A counsellor can help a company update its organisational chart making management more lean and effective (or building in positions if it’s too lean).

Staff Development

A good business needs a committed and knowledgeable team of employees. One thing a counsellor can do is explore what is happening among the non-management staff. They can find out where productivity has broken down, find out why it has, and help management discover a solution. If there is bad morale among employees, a counsellor can help get the bottom of the problem. Conflict among the staff can be a burden to a business. A good counsellor is well-versed in conflict resolution. Team building can boost productivity when it inspires staff to work together rather than go their own way.

Foundation Restoration

The foundation of a business lies in its business plan and marketing plan. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused on them can bring a business to a new level of success. A counsellor can be a guiding voice while setting up new business plans and marketing plans or reviewing older ones. Like the foundation of a house, at some point a business plan may need to be restored and repaired because of age. A counsellor can help revitalize the company’s vision. With new vision comes new enthusiasm that spreads throughout a business and can reveal itself in more profits. However, that sometimes requires hard work and some tough self-evaluation. A counsellor’s job is to guide a business through it.